


ZJ Street rat | Rim of the World

by SZ_10



Category: Rim of the World (2019)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Complete, Romance, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:01:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28962858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SZ_10/pseuds/SZ_10
Summary: ZJ is a street rat, but she is also a sister. What happens when her sister drags her into coming to a camp in America with her. It began when aliens invade their planet. A group of five teens, stuck on a mountain with a key to stop this invasion, without adults or electronics to help guide the way, they stay together, conquer their fears and save the world.ZJ is the eldest in the group, the last thing she would do would be die and let the others defend themselves. For the group, ZJ strengthens herself, brings out her experience just to keep them safe. She would die to make sure they are safe, for that is her self-proclaimed purpose. SURVIVE!
Relationships: Alex/ZhenZhen (Rim of the World)
Kudos: 2





	1. Rim of the World camp

In the airport, two Asian girls were passing through the gate. Standing next to each other the younger was staring at the guard dully while the older was chewing her gum reading on her phone. The younger had a red hat, a choker, straight pigtails, and dark brown eyes. The older had dark noticeable blue eyes short shoulder hair and black fingerless gloves. Both were holding large duffle bags. There was a man standing in between them. He was someone random the sister picked up, they bribed him to lie to the guard allowing them into the city. They bribed him before leaving the place.

The man tired of standing and the looks the guard gave him, let out a sigh the guard asked, “what did you say your relationship was?”

“They’re sisters and my nieces. It’s my sister-in-law. You can kinda see it in the eyes,” the lie was terrible, the older sibling cringed if she cared, which she didn’t so she continued reading on her phone. Then he added "well more me and her," he pointed towards the oldest and himself.

“What is your business here?” The guard continued to ask.

The white man motioned to the younger, “she got a spelling bee out in Camarillo. My sister-in-law allowed her to come if with me. Her sister came to give a familiar company.”

“How many L’s in Camarillo?” The question was directed to the younger.

The younger raised a brow while the 'uncle' was speechless, sweating afraid they were caught. The younger was calm and raised her middle finger, then the index. The guard was staring at them suspiciously while stabbing an approval for entry. The older sibling handed her passport without looking up from her phone, the guard stamped it with less hesitation as she looked old enough.

“You’re gonna do good in America,” the guard commented with a smile turning backward and looking at the walking away 'family'.

Once they passed the gate the white man stopped the siblings “ok, let’s go.” The younger got 10 bucks from her back pocket and placed it in the man’s hand. “You’re light. Nope. More,” the older placed more money on his hand, “there you go.” Asian siblings shoved his hand and walked away. “Pleasure doing business with you kids,” he called out one last time.

Walking outside the airport, the younger was about to walk in the taxi but stopped by the elder. The younger knowing her intentions already followed her sister. And for some odd reason, the airport had a weapon shop near it. The elder was street trained at a young age which carried until now. She started learning when cross-dressed as a boy to fool her father since he wanted boys. But when her younger sister was born, he abandoned her, her elder sister didn't want to leave her alone and exposed herself to her father causing him to abandon her too. The elder was sad but determined, she took care of her younger sister like a mother but a lot quieter. She liked weapons, hidden knives, or daggers to be exact. The streets were never quiet or safe, she took care of both of them, any means possible.

Once the elder was pleased by the weapons they then got, they entered a taxi. The taxi’s driver was an old fat man, “where to?” He questioned. The younger took out a flyer and showed him. When he reached to grab it she dodged his hand, and showed it again when he retracted, “Rim of the World, ok.” With that, they drove off.

Once they reached camp they went directly to the registration building/cafeteria. The sisters stood in line, The elder in front of the younger. “Dui bu qi, (excuse me)” it was a young boy, “uh, wó jiào Alex. (My name is Alex).”

The girls turned and walked when the line moved, uninterested in the young boy now known as ‘Alex’.

“Alright, who’s next.” They now stood in front of a black man called Logan. “China?” he said laughing flabbergasted, “ok, umm… No, no, no. Ni hao! Welcome … to … camp! I love… Jackie Chan.” They stared at him unimpressed or interested as he did gestures trying to explain the words, _Stupid_. “Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth?” He nodded his head left to right while talking. The elder raised a brow and rolled her eyes while the younger shook her head. “Alright now, move along. Wow, China.”

The first activity was zip-lining. The elder went first. “Ok, ZJ, it's an ok to go,” Logan informed. Without missing a beat and ignoring the people helping her, she jumped off holding onto the handles. The boys noticed even at high speed that the safety had fallen. They yelled panicked though she kept her cool and held onto the zip line handle.

After a while, her younger sister was prepared to zip line. Logan was strapping her on, “alright, Zhenzhen, you are good to go. Safety first. Check on your sister if's she's alright, we saw her safety fall.”

A black boy who was standing on the side tried a pick-up line, “Mm-hmm. ‘Sup girl? I’m Dariush. Is this a layover because we are neck to neck, you feel me?” Zhenzhen grunts before jumping off the raft ignoring the black boy's words.

Zhenzhen told her sister what had happened and asked if she was alright. ZJ shrugged the concern off as she could only shake her head and chuckle at the terrible flirting comment, her monotone face was broken before returning.

It was the afternoon, the sun was setting meaning the sky was getting darker. The kids were playing by running around, Zhenzhen went for a walk while her sister stayed inside the forest. She climbed a steady tree that didn't have many leaves on it. Lying on a thick branch one of her legs dangling on the side, she looks up to the sky. _If only I could vanish into the air,_ she thought before observing the now shown stars. Stargazing or cloud watching was her favorite non-active sport. People who saw her would only see the silhouette of someone sleeping.

As the clock hit midnight, ZJ woke up and climbed down the tree. She snuck back into her assigned cabin as if she hadn't stayed out until midnight on a tree, out in the cold, and could have fallen to her death if not careful.


	2. The Start of an adventure

> A/N: Pictures dont belong to me just edited.

The next morning the campers went canoeing, ZJ was wearing red high tops with her -dagger was hidden in it-, leggings -a knife was hidden in it- a blue shirt and had a brown flannel jacket on. In the van waiting for her sister. She watched as Zhenzhen who was wearing a scouts uniform walk towards the van with the boy Alex, she sat beside her sister who was listening to music and leaning on the window. The black boy from registration day then entered occupying as much space there was in the front seat with Alex next to him.

They reached the canoeing site but were canceled as a kid shitted their canoe. Zhenzhen took this opportunity to go see what she came here for. ZJ followed her younger sister. “Zhenzhen. ZJ, Zhenzhen do you know where you’re going?” Shouted the boy Alex from behind the.

ZJ looked back in confusion than at her sister questioning their relationship, asking quietly she said “你熟?” (You familiar?’)

“不” (no) was what Zhenzhen responded with.

The boy continued to follow and call for them in concern, “I don’t think we should wander this far. Maybe we should head back? Zhenzhen, ZJ do you know how to get back? Hello?”

The sister continued on their path ignoring the young -same age as Zhenzhen- boy. Reaching the clearing where the younger wanted to see, she stretched out her arms with a smile on her face and she looked up to the sky. ZJ sat on the rock next to her standing sister, continuing to listen to music while letting her legs dangle, she lied down she had a smirk with her eyes closed.

Their enjoyment was ruined when shots were heard. “No! No, please! No! Wait!” It was faintly for ZJ as she was listening to music, but once she heard the first shout she took the headphones off.

To the response of the desperate shouts was a calm male voice, “chill man, I’m helping you!” It was Dariush. He was holding onto Alex near the cliff.

The siblings were watching, not the boys knew. “Let him go!” Shouted an unknown boy whose name they didn’t know. He was about ZJ’s height, a little bit shorter. The campers' attention was focused on the new person.

“Move along mountain hobo. We’ve got no qualms with you,” said Dariush.

“No, no, help me, help me!” Alex begged the new presence holding onto Dariush's arm.

“I’m not gonna ask you again!” The boy said more sternly and threatening.

“Huh? Come over here? Big mistake bro,” Dariush shoved Alex so hard he fell onto the floor who let out a wince. “Ooo, Five years of Krav Maga, bitch. I’ll Gal Gadot you so hard right now. What’s your ground game? What? What? Un!” Dariush grunted as he tried to kick the new boy's gut, only to be punched in the face by him.

The boy turned towards Alex and asked if he was ok. “Thanks. Who are you?” Alex asked.

“My name’s Gabriel,” Gabriel introduced himself asking Alex’s hand.

“You live around here?” Alex continued to ask.

ZJ, who was observing them saw that he was hesitant with the answer for the question but still did “yeah. Yeah.” _Lie._ The sisters finally walked over Zhenzhen stepped over Dariush while ZJ walked around him. Gabriel who spotted Zhenzhen’s camping outfit turning to her he asked, “you guys come from the um, the camp right?”

Zhenzhen was looking away from him while ZJ was staring at the boys. Gabriel looked at ZJ in expectation before turning to Alex, “she's Zhenzhen and the older is ZJ. They aren't much of talkers.” True that ZJ was the least talkative person in the group right now.

“You know what? You know… You know what? That was a lucky punch,” ZJ raised her brow. “Lucky punch - yeah. I haven’t acclimated to the altitude yet. So my reflexes are kinda… sub-par.” _tough act._ As he finishes talking, a loud booming sound appears around them. ZJ was vigilant while the boys were spinning around 360 trying to find the source.

“What the hell was that?” Questioned Dariush expecting an answer from the small group for an odd reason.

The camper’s phone except for Gabriel who didn't have one started to beep, taking them out they read the information. “What does it say?” Gabriel asked standing next to Alex.

“It’s the emergency broadcast system. ‘All civilians are to evacuate metropolitan areas immediately. Under no circumstances approach any unknown aircraft’.” Dariush read out loud then gasped in disbelief, “it’s the next 7-eleven.”

“We gotta get back to the van. Anyone know the way?” Alex asked.

ZJ raised her hand the same time Gabriel said he did, “follow me - us,” Gabriel corrected.

Gabriel and ZJ started to walk back but stopped by Dariush. “Ok whoa, whoa. Slow your roll, Dora the explorer, this is my clique.” Snapping his finger and pointing behind him he said “soldiers out.”

ZJ rolled her eyes annoyed and tapped Zhenzhen and Alex’s shoulder. Once they faced her, they felt the sensation of ‘ignore him and follow me’. She nodded her head towards the direction she and Gabriel were about to walk to if not stopped by Dariush. The kids nodded their heads and followed.

“You guys know if you…” when Dariush turned around the small group was already walking away. He hesitated and out a sigh then followed.

The teenagers ran through the woods towards the canoeing site, only to find it empty. “Everyone is gone!” _No shit sherlock_. 

“Assholes,” Dariush cursed.

“They probably got the emergency signal and went back to camp,” Alex deducted and everyone nodded.

There was a loud boom, causing the 5 teens to jump, “oh! What the fu-?”

“Looks like those explosions in the upper atmosphere,” Alex informed the group.

The 4 campers took out their phones planning on calling the camp. “Call and have them send a van to pick you up.” ZJ gave him a ‘really’ look. Gabriel just shrugged.

“It’s dead. I had 90% two seconds ago. Piece of shit boost mobile,” Dariush said hitting his phone.

“Mine’s dead too,” said Alex.

The sky changed color, it was now yellow orange-like. 3 jets soar above the water, the force causing it to spread everywhere. “Oh my go, it’s _independence_ day.”

“It’s June, Gabriel! Oh, wait, maybe North Korea’s invaded! ZJ, Zhenzhen call it off!” They both gave him a ‘really’ look.

Alex is trying to think rationally about a plan, “ok, we just need to wait here until the adults realize they left us and come back.”

Dariush was panicking, “oh man, what if they never come back!? I’m going to die with you losers?” The sibling rose a brow at the statement. “I never even had sex before!” ZJ smirked at the black boy, the others just stared at him as he realized what he had just said, “I’ma clear it up, I had sex before. I mean, I haven’t had sex with two girls at once. Zhenzhen, ZJ?” ZJ tried to comfort him and show pity by patting his shoulder. He shrugged her off feeling embarrassed and turned to Alex holding out a hand, “I told you I had sex ‘cause.”

“No,” Alex said, honestly pushing away Dariush’s hand.

Gabriel who had enough interjections, “all right, hey, look. We’re not gonna die! It’s probably just a forest fire. We gotta get going, bears out here can be crazy.”

Dariush interrupted getting closer to Gabriel, “whoa, whoa! Ok, slow your roll. Did you just say bears? I don’t do so well with bears, man. I’m not trying to get DiCaprio's up here!”

Gabriel placed a hand on Dariush’s shoulder trying to calm him down as he was freaking out. “Look, no one does well with bears.”

Dariush pushed Gabriel’s hand away, “whoa. Uh… Ask Werner Herzog. Grizzly man lived with those things for years, so check it out.”

He patted Gabriel’s shoulder who responded questionably “did you watch the end of that movie?”

“‘Did I watch…’ Yeah, I watched- No I didn’t.” Dariush quickly corrected himself.

“No, dude, ok hey stop! Gabriel’s right. Black bears are opportunistic carnivores. We’re not gonna survive the wilderness through the night.” ZJ touches her hidden dagger subconsciously. The world's ‘not gonna survive’ wasn’t in her favorite or inside her dictionary.

“Then let’s go! Come on!” Shouted Dariush.

The teenagers arrived at a deserted camp panting, the one who was used to exercising and fighting was less panting. “Hello! Where is everyone?”Dariush burst into the camp, shouting before asking his group, “yo, do you see anyone?” As they passed a sign Dariush asked what it was. Going closer he read, “‘Gone down the mountain.’ Oh, they left us! Oh, shi-”

“Not all of them,” Gabriel said, turning his attention to him, and ZJ joined his side looking at the person on the picnic table. Conrad, the drunkard.

“Huh? It’s heavy metal, Conrad!” Exclaimed Dariush in recognition.

“Conrad! Conrad!” The group’s boys shouted.

As they reached his side Dariush asked if he was dead seeing his motionless body. Gabriel checked for a pulse, “he’s breathing. He must have slept through the evacuation.”

“Ok, what kind of asshole sleeps through an emergency evacuation?” 

“Wake him up,” said Gabriel.

Zhenzhen held up a metal container labeled ‘milk’. She unscrewed the top and was about to drink it but was stopped by her elder sister. Zhenzhen looked at the container with a small frown and handed it over to ZJ. ZJ drank the remaining alcohol in it before throwing it away, feeling better but the strength of the alcohol flowing through her vein.

“I don’t think that … that was milk,” Dariush commented.

Since they couldn’t wake up Conrad they went for plan b, phones. Running into the cafeteria, Gabriel tried the phones only for them to be dead. Alex tried the light, it didn't light up. “That’s ‘cause the power is out. You know what an EMP is?”

ZJ turned them off and focused on helping her sister packing resources for survival. Zhenzhen was packing up a flare gun, ZJ handed her a knife.

Once they heard a loud boom, they ran outside to check it out. “Those are F-22 Raptor air superiority fighters!”

“What are those ships they’re fighting?” Gabriel asked.

Alex stared in amazement, “I’ve never seen anything like them.”

ZJ stared at the ships flying. One word came to mind, _Aliens_. As stupid as it sounded like, it was them. When the group could hear the engine of the ships, they turned back and ran. “Hurry up, come on!” Those words were heard, but not clear as to who said them. “Go, go, go!”

They dodged the shots that were near them, but as they ran, a laser landed right in front of them, sending a magnetic force pushing them away. The inexperienced teenagers landed on their backs or faces on the floor, while ZJ landed kneeling. The teens groan getting up, “what going on?” Dariush asked. “What?”

ZJ and Zhenzhen turned to look behind them. Zhenzhen grabbed onto Alex’s shoulder, forcibly turning him around, and the boys followed the action. In the sky, there was a capsule flying down towards them. The teenagers instinctively jumped to the ground to lessen the injuries. “What is that?” Dariush asked in a high pitched voice. _Does he ever stop asking stupid questions?_ ZJ thought to herself slightly annoyed at Dariush’s questions.

“It's a dragon capsule,” Alex called it.

Gabriel looked at him while running “how do you know all this stuff?” he voiced the question from everyone's heads.

“There’s a reason my mom sent me to outdoor camp.” _It does explain things._

“Oh god, those things are huge.” _No, it's a small rock._

“What the hell?” Gabriel questioned reaching out to touch the door.

“No, no don’t touch it, dude!” Alex screamed. ZJ was closest to the capsule so she grabbed onto Gabriel’s wrist before his hand touched it. “It’s still hot from the re-entry.”

“Oh, does anyone have any water?” Dariush asked. Zhenzhen reached into her backpack taking out a water bottle handing it to Dariush.

“Good idea,” Alex praised, not aware of Dariush's true intentions.

Dariush drank it gulping down the water, the other looked at him in disbelief. After the first gulp and before he could drink more, ZJ snatched the bottle from Dariush’s hand and sprayed it on the capsule door. The door sizzled and steam rose into the air. 

Dariush backed away “you’re not seriously gonna open that thing, are you?”

“There could be someone inside,” Gabriel argued.

“No, no leave it. All right? We don’t know what this shit is. Ew.” Dariush whipped it off on his shoe.

“Don’t touch it,” Alex whispered, not everyone heard.

“This is an animal kingdom out here bitches.” Dariush continued his rant, “all right, the survival of the fit-!” He was cut off then the capsule door was kicked open, landing on his back.

The 4 teenagers sans ZJ came closer asking if there was someone there. After a few seconds, a hand shot out, sending the teens jumping backward and ZJ forwards helping the woman. The other regained from their shock and helped ZJ pull the woman out and set her on the ground.

“I thought space was supposed to make you weightless,” painted Dariush. _He’s just stupid._ ZJ concluded her observation, having no clue why it went for so long when it could be deducted so clearly.

“We’re not in space dude.”

“Where am I?” The woman asked through the clear seen pain.

“Rim of the world adventure camp,” Alex informed, “near Big Bear.”

The woman tried to sit up but failed. “This is a camp?” She moaned and went back to lying down, head on Zhenzhen’s lap.

“Yeah, I was disappointed too but.” He was interrupted by a slap at the back of his head.

“Coordinates all wrong. Pasadena… Dr. Fielding…”

The campers looked at each other worriedly when Dariush informed them that Pasadena was nowhere near their current position.

“JPL!” the NASA women yelled.

“JPL,” Alex repeated, “the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It’s part of NASA.”

ZJ was observing the woman, she noticed when her eyes widened when it landed on something. Turning around ZJ saw the reason, the black goo was moving. ZJ stood up quickly grabbing onto Gabriel and Dariush’s collar holding them tightly while they looked at her worried and confused. ZJ was waiting for the woman to finish giving the information that needed to be passed.

The NASA woman grabbed onto her necklace and passed it to Alex. “The key, the key. Take it to JPL, Dr. Fielding. It has everything on it. Excalibur, everything. Go!”

As she said that, ZJ pulled the two collars up and shoved them in front of her. Jumping above the women she grabbed onto Zhenzhen and Alex’s helping them get a head start. ZJ looked at the woman and said “sorry.” The woman understood her situation and gave ZJ her last salute. ZJ ran away, knowing the NASA woman’s fate, and that she could not fight against the Alien. 

ZJ was running towards the camp cafeteria, she heard the women's last scream before it stopped. She shut her eyes for a second because of the feeling of guilt, but she knew what to do to survive, it was a sacrifice for something bigger. Alex stood there in the middle of the Alien and cafeteria looking behind ZJ shouting “it has a dog!” ZJ knew the meaning behind it. She grabbed his arm and pulled him towards their temporary hiding spot.

The teenagers ran into the cafeteria. Gabriel and the Asian sisters ran into the kitchen when Dariush being dumb stopped along with Alex and asked him the side of the dog and maybe it wanted cuddles.

Once the three entered the kitchen and hid behind a table. Alex and Dariush busted through the kitchen doors they tried to hide being a shelf, Gabriel motioned Alex to hide next to them he did he had time, but Dariush was too late, the Alien dog had entered through the kitchen doors searching for the teens withing its one eye and nose.

The Alien dog was closing in to the group of teenagers walking by the side of the table, they all moved positions. ZJ knew they couldn't be fast enough for all of them to hide together so she did something risky. Quietly she stood up, Gabriel, Zhenzhen, and Alex nonverbally protested, scared she would be caught. Even though she still went through with it. ZJ stood on the table quietly, looking at the Alien dog, a good thing he was looking at the ground, ZJ let out a quiet sigh of relief.

A loud noise from Dariush’s way attracted the dog to move over there. Dariush crawled through a vent like a tin box, the Alien dog followed. Once he was out he ran towards ZJ who was standing on two tables legs spread. The Alien dog came out and lunged at them. Zhenzhen was standing next to the panel to seal the open and hidden slot which was hidden by the group of 4 young teen's bodies covering it, the hidden slot was for the chimney. As it was close to ZJ's body, she jumped down from the tables landing on the floor. The others ducked after a second she did. Once Zhenzhen closed the slot it locked the dog inside the chimney.

They turned around to walk away just to see the Alien silhouette on the door. Urging the teenagers to run towards the small open window, they went. ZJ was the last one out, making sure that the others were in front of her.

Once she was out of the kitchen she ran towards a tall tree. Grabbing her flannel jacket from her waist, she wrapped it around the tree helping her climb. Once at the top, she tied the jacket around her waist again and was able to jump as the trees were far but close enough. The Alien hasn’t found her yet as the leaves covered her entire body.

Seeing Zhenzhen and Alex running somewhere she followed. ZJ landed on a tree above the capsule. When she saw the Alien dog behind them she dropped a large heavy branch on the floor causing both 13-year-olds to look back.

They ran and hid behind the capsule. The dog was so focused on them ZJ took this chance to strike. Grabbing the dagger from her high tops, she jumped down on the dog’s back, slashing its neck causing it to yelp in pain, and flip ZJ over it with her dagger still in hand. ZJ was lying on the floor groaning, the dog was snarling on top of her. Her legs were free, joining them together she kicked the dog at her and in front of the engine which miraculously opened just in time, burning the Alien dog, killing it.

She joined the others. “You were awesome,” Dariush commented towards ZJ who shrugged nonchalantly.

“I think we will go,” said Alex.

Just as he said that the Alien appeared, the 4 armed Alien. _This day couldn't get any better._ The 5 teenagers ran away in the same direction.

“At what point do we trip Zhenzhen and keep running?” Asked Dariush, forgetting her elder fearless sister.

ZJ ran in the middle of Zhenzhen and Dariush. As they kept running until they were tackled by the Alien. It turned its attention to Dariush, spitting black goo over him. As Dariush had his mouth opened, the Alien stuck his tongue(?) inside his mouth. Turning the position of her dagger in her hands, she slashed the tongue(?) detaching it from the host body, falling out of Dariush’s mouth. ZJ watched as it slowly regenerated. Leaning up and looking over Dariush’s body, she saw the original was wiggling on the ground next to Dariush.

Just as the Alien’s tongue finished regenerating a fire jet passed by shooting the Alien ‘dead’.

ZJ immediately got up first knowing the Alien’s regeneration would kick in soon, it wouldn’t stay dead. ZJ pulled Zhenzhen and Alex up by their clothes, she urged them to run, they did. She helped Dariush and Gabriel up too and they ran together following behind Zhenzhen and Alex.

"What about this isn't real? He just sneeze-jizzed all over us!" Dariush complained as they continued to run.

"Shut up, I can't think with your constant bitching." Gabriel spat, ZJ was trying to block them out since when they fought they were annoying, so she put her focus all on running and staying vigilant, expecting the Alien to pop out of nowhere.

"Hey, I'm allowed to bitch, all right? That thing had its tongue in my mouth.”

“How do you know it was a tongue?” Alex questioned. “We don’t know their anatomy.” ZJ had to cover her mouth to not show she was smirking, laughing, or smiling to what was coming next out of his mouth.

“What are you saying?” Dariush asked.

“Honestly, it’s plausible that sophisticated creatures, like alien males, have cranial genitalia.”

Dariush was speechless, pointing at his mouth he asked brokenly, “it had its dick in my mouth?” _It could be, there were two balls on it._ ZJ concluded.

Alex nodded at the frightened Darius, “yeah.”

“Uh-uh,” Darius shook his head in denial. 

“Guys, we need to stay calm, okay?” Gabriel spoke up.

“Calm?” Dariush scoffs. “I just probably swallowed a load of alien babies that are gonna turn into puppies and leap out of my chest."

"I need to find our mom, she's gonna know what to do," Alex spoke

“If she’s alive,” Dariush said, causing Alex to frown.

“Hey don’t say that,” Alex shoved Dariush.

“Chances are our parents are gone, alright!” Dariush shoved Alex back.

Gabriel chose this moment to enter. “What did I say about touching that kid?"

"What are you and her gonna do? Gonna sucker punch me again? Go for it, 'cause I'll chop your ass in the neck, and then I'll chop you in the head and finish you with a rear-naked choke."

"Do you ever shut up? I mean, between my fist and that alien's dick, your mouth should be worn out by now."

A battle cry was heard as Zhenzhen slapped them all in the face as ZJ stood beside her, faintly chuckling. The boys held their injured cheeks.

“Why are you hitting me?” Alex complained.

"What we do in life... echoes in eternity." Zhenzhen reached down, picking dirt off the ground holding it in front of the boys.

“What the fuck?” Dariush whispered to Alex.

“Hold the line! Stay with me. If you find yourself alone, riding in green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead." Zhenzhen finished and began walking Her sister beside her.

“Did she just quote _Gladiator_?” Asked Dariush

“Since when did she speak English,” Gabriel asked following behind the girls.

“Since when did she speak.” Dariush continued to comment.

“May I ask where we’re going?” Alex was walking next to Zhenzhen.

Zhenzhen grabbed the key necklace on Alex, “The astronaut said that this key can stop the aliens and we need to take it to TRL.”

“JPL. A NASA facility,” Alex corrected her. “In the foothills of Pasadena. I went there once for a robotics contest with my dad.”

“Do you know how to get there?” Zhenzhen said, still walking.

“Without GPS? No probably not. It’s over 70 miles away from here.

"Wait, you wanna head 70 miles into the city? The alert said to stay out of metropolitan areas, not head straight into them." Dariush threw his hands down.

"We don't need to take it to Pasadena. Let's just get this key down the mountain and take it to adults. Tell them to take it to JPL." Zhenzhen's voice held so much confidence.

Dariush turned around and sighed, “…oh my gosh.”

“Plus it’s better than staying here and waiting for death.” The new voice surprised the boys. They turned to the owner who was ZJ. The voice was masculine while also being feminine, a side effect of cross-dressing for 4 years and earring the habit for the last 11.

Snapping out of his shock, Dariush asked, “what do you mean.”

“…The alien is _probably_ not dead yet. It’s better to leave than stay here.”

“We saw it get killed by the jets,” Dariush argued.

“Maybe. But expect the worst. That’s a rule for survival.” The boys stayed silent.

Gabriel thought for a moment before his eyes lit up, "Guys. There's a sheriff's station down a bit, we could get it to a cop."

Zhenzhen nodded, agreeing with the idea. "That's a great idea, Gabriel. Now let's get some bikes and kick some ass.” Gabriel watched as the 13 years old Asian passed him. He blinked in amusement.

“Damn, girl, your English is good.” Dariush commented as the three entered the shack "They gave us the code at registration, it's um… six-six-nine.”

Gabriel fiddled with the lock, Dariush rushing him. “Six…-nine”

“Dude, what are you talking about? I said six-six-nine. Come on, man. Dude, hurry up! Just put it in there. What are you, dumb?”

Gabriel looked up at Dariush, “I’m not dumb.”

Zhenzhen squatted over Gabriel helping him, “here Gabriel, let me help.”

“I want this on, it had a ‘Wakanda Forever’ sticker on it.”

Now that that problem was done, ZJ went to make her bike. Grabbing tires, a frame, and the front set, she rapidly set it together, walking outside the shed with the others.

Rolling their bikes, Zhenzhen stopped. The others who were standing next to their bikes did this too.

“Hey, what's wrong?” Gabriel asked.

"I can't go with you.” Alex was standing in front of the door.

"Why not?"

Embarrassingly Alex confessed, ”I can't ride a bike. I never learned. It’s ok. You guys can go without me."

"Cool, we're out." Dariush started before Gabriel sent a glare.

"No. We got back down to your camp and everyone left you, how did that make you feel?” The teenagers went back inside to choose a bike for Alex.

Before they went, four teens changed clothes, ZJ stayed with hers as it wasn’t anyhow dirtied.

Now they were walking down on the road bikes on their sides. ZJ walked next to Zhenzhen.

“I won’t let you fall,” Zhenzhen said comforting Alex as they reached the end of the road with the signs written ‘Los Angeles’ left, ‘High Desert’ right. Four out of five directed their bikes to the left. Hesitantly Dariush followed the group.

They stood in line and put their helmets on sans ZJ because she hated helmets, before getting on and starting pedaling. Dariush was on one side of Alex while Zhenzhen on the other. They held onto Alex’s shoulder steadying him. The two older looking teens were behind the younger ones.

“You got this. Put your feet back on the pedal.”

Gabriel rode closer to Dariush advising Alex, “the key is to keep moving. The faster you go the easier it is to stay balanced.”

“Are you sure about this?”

Gabriel honestly answered “no.”

“Good, your good. Now, just keep doing that,” Dariush guided.

As he finished speaking, they -Dariush and Zhenzhen- let go of Alex as he got up to speed, a smile crossed their faces as Alex was succeeding. ZJ held a smirk -all she can do is smirk-.

“I don’t - I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Alex, you're doing it.”

Everybody cheered, ZJ gave a high-five to her sister and the boys. Three out of four praised Alex. ZJ continued to stay quiet as the others were speaking their thoughts.

Now the group of teens was just riding here and there, having fun on the empty road.

Everything was going great. Alex looked back and shouted so they could hear, “this is so much fun, you-.”

Alex was interrupted as his body flew off the bike. Everyone got off their bikes and sprinted towards Alex checking if he was alright. “Holy shit,” he said looking at something.

After all that has happened until now, ZJ expected the worst, turning around she stayed vigilant but was still surprised by the state of the city. 

“Yeah, holy …. shit,” Dariush hesitated before catching a glimpse of the city’s state. It was a battlefield, lost in smoke and distanced explosions and gunfire.


	3. Soldiers

Snapping out of their shock, they started to continue to ride towards the sheriff station. Unknown to them, the Alien had healed and was seeking revenge.

It was Los Angeles Basin 68 miles to JPL. The teens walked holding bikes on their sides seeing as it wasn't going to work riding through the city with all bits and pieces of metal, destroyed car, etc. on the ground.

“There,” Dariush announced, spotting the sheriff station.

They quickly scurried up to the police station with their bikes on the side of them. They didn’t notice how the older teens of the group stayed a bit behind, both uncomfortable by the station.

"Guys I don't, nobody's uh," Gabriel started

“What?" Dariush turned around in confusion

"You guys go ahead. I'll stay back and watch the bikes,” Gabriel took his helmet off.

“I’ll stay with him,” ZJ said, looking at him with knowing eyes.

Zhenzhen understood her elder sister’s intentions as ZJ had gotten in serious trouble while raising her. She gave a glance at Gabriel seeing the same uncomfortableness as her sister.

“What? Oh yeah, because the aliens wanna jack our mountain bikes.”

After a while Alex spoke up for the troubled kids “yeah looters could take them.”

“Whatever man." Dariush scoffed, dropping his bike as Zhenzhen did too. They walked up to the building, Alex gave one last glance at Gabriel and ZJ before joining his friend in the building.

ZJ and Gabriel shared a glance before nodding in acknowledgment at each other.

Just before the teens came out of the station, Zj started confusing Gabriel, “you are like a brother.”

The younger teens ran out of the station getting on their bikes and riding away, not giving a chance for Gabriel to ask ZJ further questions.

The 5 teenagers rode their bikes through an alleyway as smoke somewhat blocked their line of vision. The teens were having a conversation, while ZJ was at the back, behind Gabriel trying to look through the fog.

"Yo, you got this Alex. You're doing good man." Dariush had praised the boy on his bike riding.

As they rode on the empty road military trucks flew in front of them causing them to all stop and climb off of their bikes, waving and shouting like maniacs trying to catch the vehicle’s attention. ZJ stopped when she realized they would be able to hear, so turned around when she felt a presence behind her. She saw soldiers holding guns advancing on them. She slapped the two closest people to her, Zhenzhen and Alex on their shoulders.

“Hey! Stand where you are and do not move.” Instinctively their hands all flew up in surrender, not wanting to get shot at the same time letting their helmets drop.

"Same side, same side, same side!” Alex was trying to get the military to lower their guns.

"Kids! Kids!” Said a soldier walking up to them while telling the others to lower their guns. ZJ lowered her hand to feel stupid that they kept holding them up, so she placed it on her waist, one of the places her knife was hidden -a dagger in the shoe-.

“You should've evacuated hours ago. We're at war." The captain spoke, the others kept their hands up for some odd reason.

"Sir, we were in the mountains when the attacks started. Can you tell us what's going on? How big is the attack?” Alex informed me.

“Did it reach the nation's finest Mercedes dealership?” Dariush asked, causing everyone to look at him in a confused look.

"Dude, how can you…” Zhenzhen asked in disbelief.

“My dad owns it. I’m the future heir of that shit.”

“Shut up!” Zhenzhen yelled annoyed at the black boy.

“All I can tell you is you are not safe here. Everyone on the bus right now. It'll take you to the evacuation center. Let’s go!”

Alex and the others screamed to catch the captain’s attention. Alex finally pulled on the captain's arm making him stop and ask "what?"

Alex took the key off of his neck and passed it to the captain, ”you need to take this key to Pasadena.”

"Where'd you get this?” The captain questioned observing the key.

"An astronaut from the space station gave it to us."

"She said we need to take it to JPL."

"What's on that key can stop the aliens.”

"You need to get that to JPL in Pasadena to a Dr. Fielding.”

“We've been receiving Morse code from Dr. Fielding at JPL all day. Finding this key has been the primary objective. Thanks, kid. You may have just saved the world. We'll take it from here." The captain smiled, patting Alex's shoulder. "Okay, we need to go. Move out. Now!”

All of the teens cheered, all except one. ‘Expect the worst’ was her prime rule, she would not abandon it now. _This was too easy_. The thought in her head, _it never ends in too ‘easy’_.

As they began to board the bus they were praised with a high five from a soldier, a pat on the back for ZJ. Zhenzhen and Alex sat at the front, ZJ saw this and ordered all four of them to move back one or two seats. The teens shrugged and did as told. Dariush protested but a glare shut him up.

ZJ sat where Zhenzhen originally sat, something bad was about to happen, the teens behind her would _not_ get hurt.

“We did it,” Zhenzhen cheered.

“Zhenzhen, we did it,” Dariush cheered happily.

“Look,” Gabriel said tapping on Dariush's shoulder pointing at the military truck passing them.

ZJ looked up outside to see alien spaceships. Turning her head facing her group, mostly Zhenzhen she ordered, no space for arguments where left, “when you get out of this bus stay together, don’t care about me, and leave.”

Zhenzhen got nervous, one thing she knew was her sister had great senses. Surviving was part of her. Hearing her words Zhenzhen went to protest but her sisters ‘mother's glare was sent to her, not being able to refuse she accepted. The others were confused at their interactions.

“There they go!” Alex said.

Just then blasts were sent their way. The cheering died as a man screamed. The car in front of them was hit and sent flying. ZJ stood up and grabbed the two soldiers’ shoulders pulling them behind before the car crashed on the roof. The two men stood there stunned at what had happened.

“Go!” She yelled at her group. They finally understood what she had said to her sister. The tone she held before repeated in their minds, not allowing them to go back on what she said.

“Go!”

“Come on!”

“Move it!”

“Take over!”

“Let’s go!”

The shouts were muffled together not being able to hear clearly at the words. Gabriel dragged Zhenzhen back, not allowing her to go back to her sister.

“Kick it,” Dariush offered when Gabriel failed to open the door by hand. “Go, go, go, go!” More blasts to where they originally planned to go, “Oh shit, go the other way!”

ZJ was still on the bus with the two soldiers, Alex had to drag Zhenzhen away. They ran around the bus to where the captain was stuck under a military truck.

The captain knew his fate, he comforted Alex into letting him go even though he protested a lot. The captain handed Alex the key. Once they ran away and left the captain, ZJ came in with a large thick pole and placed it under the car. “What are you doing?! Go!” The captain shouted. ZJ didn't listen and continued with her work. The car rose so the captain crawled away. 

ZJ let the car fall again with the pole. Grabbing onto the captain ignoring all the pain she felt in her muscles, she horridly dragged the captain behind a pillar before a blaster blasted the car.

ZJ sat on the ground panting looking at the captain. “Thank you,” he said. ZJ nodded.

Catching her breath she held onto the captain’s armpits and dragged him to a hiding spot. “Call someone when the gunfire is over,” she thought for a second, “you won’t be eaten here.” The captain gave her a questioning look but shrugged it off as she had saved him. She handed him a gun she had stolen from a soldier's body and ran out of the hiding spot just to find the two soldiers she helped. She spoke before they could, “your captain is in there.” She slightly bowed her head, “thank you for your hard work.”

As she was about to run towards where her group went the taller soldier grabbed her hand asking her what her name was, “ZJ.”


	4. A new Family

She ran to San Gabriel Valley, 41 miles to JPL. She was lost, her group must have gone somewhere to rest. Tracking them by footprints or something not belonging, she found herself somewhere with loads of apartments. They must be here, she thought. Walking through every door, she inspected which one had been opened recently.

Once she reached a specific door, she entered, alerting the recently relaxed teens inside. They let out a breath of relief once they saw her, alive too. They were in a circle, glowing sticks in the middle. Zhenzhen got up and went to hug her elder sister, “I hate you.”

“Tsundere,” ZJ whispered with a smirk. Darius understood what it meant while Gabriel and Alex were oblivious to the meaning. ZJ sat on the couch legs open, Zhenzhen in the middle. All teens were eating and drinking, they were tired by the travel

“I shouldn’t have hit you. It was my fault,” Gabriel started, he was laid down manner.

“I don’t know. I'm good bro. I mean… It doesn't hurt as much as seeing all this gunk on my new J’s.” Dariush lifted his leg allowing people to see his shoe.

“How do you care about sneakers in a time like this?” Wondered Alex.

“You know what? You guys are lucky. You don’t have friends.”

“Logic, but it's hard out here for a pimp, you know? Gotta keep up with the most fly shit, you know, the dopest kicks. Tightest whip. Baddest chick, ZJ.” ZJ’s brow rose at the comment. “And my friends, they’re like bears. Soon as they smell weakness, they’re just straight coming at your neck. That's why I keep this on my neck. Diamonds''

“Better not having friends than having fake ones,” ZJ spoke up, then continued to eat her recently made burger, passing 4 to the others.

“Does Dariush mean ‘douchebag’ in Farsi?” Alex questioned.

“What’s Farsi?” Dariush asked, taking a bite out of his burger.

“It’s the language your mom was screaming when you were coming out of her ass.” Alex casually said eating his burger.

Zhenzhen giggled. “Hey don’t talk about my mom’s ass, all right. You wish you were there.”

“No offense dude, those don’t sound like friends.”

“Seconded,” ZJ raised her hand in agreement.

“Yeah…” Dariush said staring at the burger before a spacecraft approached, lightning up the room. Everyone was looking scared at the window, alert. Once it passed they returned to normal. Curious Dariush asked ZJ, “how did you learn how to fight.”

ZJ took out her knife and did a few tricks, “street rats. Learn whatever you can to survive.” It was half the truth. It was supposed to be 'learn whatever you can to protect Zhenzhen from their dad’.

Then Dariush moved on to Gabriel asking how he ended up in jail. “My dad left when I was about ten. You know, I got a job as a bag boy, at a grocery store my mom worked at. To, you know… help her with money. One time she stepped away, I took over the cash register. I was helping a customer, and, uh, he started to accuse me of stealing from him. I guess I gave him the wrong change. I get numbers... like, muddled in my head sometimes unless I see them written down. But he didn't believe me. And, um… I just… I lost it. So I decked him. Broke his nose. Mom got fired and… they sent me away. She never came around to visit me once." He looked down.

“You can’t choose your family,” Zhenzhen said in an unfinished sentence.

“But you can always make a new one.” For the first time in forever, in front of someone else other than her sister, ZJ gave a genuine smile.

“Come one,” Zhenzhen grabbed a camera.

"A young Yoda up in here?” Dariush joked causing them all to laugh.

"Come on, guys."

"Oh, we're taking an old school selfie?"

They all huddled while Zhenzhen counted. ZJ sat in between Gabriel and Dariush, her arms over both of them, her smile remained for the photo, but disappeared when it ended.

Inside the kitchen, Zhenzhen finished changing, ZJ just cut her leggings slightly above the knee and took her clothes off leaving her sports bra on.

“Boys are weird,” Zhenzhen commented.

“你喜欢起总一个 (you like one of them)” ZJ retorted.

“What about you and Dariush or Gabriel?” Zhenzhen tried to fight back.

“Brothers.”

The boys were debating on who to sleep with until Zhenzhen walked out of the kitchen leaving them to fall silent. Ignoring them Zhenzhen walked over to the bed closer to the door and lied down on the bed further away saying one of them could sleep with her.

The boys were silent, they planned on running into the kitchen but stopped by the sight of ZJ in her newly cut leggings and a sports bra. Her body was mesomorph type, her breasts were large, not too much, Mary Sue was the word that came up.

In a daze, they faintly heard her words, “no one’s sleeping on the floor. Two of you with me.” ZJ lied in the middle of the bed facing up, hands under her head.

The boys snapped out of it and ran into the kitchen closing the door, speaking slowly.

Once they came out, Dariush and Gabriel came out of the kitchen wearing white PJ’s while Alex was in red. The three guys came out shyly, Dariush was closer to the kitchen while Gabriel went to the left side of ZJ.

“Ah, crap! I forgot my sleep apnea mask. If I snore, I’m sorry.”

“You have sleep apnea?” Gabriel questioned Dariush. “How old are you?”

“It’s non-age-discrimination, Gabriel,” ZJ rolled her eyes.

Both guys lied down, turning around so their asses were facing the girl. Alex slowly lied down on the mattress, solving his Rubik's Cube. He was then stopped by Zhenzhen who said she was glad it was him.

“How aren’t you bothered lying down next to two men?” Gabriel asked ZJ. Dariush was curious too so didn't fall asleep just yet.

“First, your boys not men,” they felt offended by the accusation, “two, you two feel more like brothers than love interests.” Both boys agreed to the last statement, they did all feel closer to each other as siblings.

The silence was bothering ZJ, so she opened her mouth, singing quietly. It was a Chinese song, even though most didn’t understand, the soft tone while singing the lullaby made everyone in the room relax and fall into a deep peaceful sleep.

Everyone was sleeping deeply. On one bed Alex and Zhenzhen moved while sleeping facing each other. On the other the two boys were holding onto ZJ’s arms, facing her.

All of a sudden we all hear a big loud bang which immediately wakes up everyone. Dariush and Gabriel looked at the reason why they felt worms on their arms. When they looked at what was touching them, they blushed and pulled away, ZJ smirked. The three arms were interlocked with each other.

"We gotta go," Gabriel says, earning a nod from Dariush.

They all got out of bed and went to change. The boys in the kitchen while the girls in the room. ZJ didn’t have to change much as she only needed her top and flannel jacket.

They walked outside downstairs where the laundry was flowing along with the wind. “Do you see anything?” Dariush asked.

“No,” Gabriel answered. Zhenzhen was trying to shush them. ZJ carefully walked next to Zhenzhen.

After more time looking Alex spoke up "guys I think we should head back.”

“We can’t man, we are already here,” Dariush denies.

"I'm telling you this is how people die in movies.”

"Guys see anything,” Zhenzhen asked.

ZJ looked in her direction and saw a dark figure. People don’t stand a chance alone surviving, he has a group. ZJ got her knife hidden in her jacket, holding it in her hand using only her thumb. Pretending she didn’t see anything she continued walking.

“You need some Febreze on these sheets,” Dariush commented. “Ah, Oh! Oh!” He screamed. As Dariush backs away, the stranger cocks his gun. “Oh, shit!”

More guns cock as the teens gasp. “Motherfucker!” ZJ screamed through the alert and was caught off guard by Dariush’s scream.

“Not another step,” said a man. "What are you doing out here in an alien invasion?" he asked.

"I mean you're the ones with the purge mask. Wrong genre bro” Dariush said 

"Oh we got ourselves a comedian here,” the man says.

The man cocks his guns again and points them at Dariush. Gabriel steps in, not wanting Dariush to get shot. “There are aliens out here, ok? We’re not the enemy.”

“You guys have something we’re looking for.”

“Dignity/A life?” The siblings ask at the same time.

“What’d you say?” The gun was pointed at Zhenzhen.

“D-I-G-N-I-T-Y, dignity. L-I-F-E a life. Are you sure you're an adult? or you’re just stupid?” ZJ taunted.

“You want me to shoot you?” The man challenged.

“Better than living in an apocalypse. Sure,” ZJ shrugged nonchalantly, causing everyone to give her an odd look, including her sister. The man would not admit, he was scared at her indifference.

“Everybody calm down. Look what we found,” said another guy, the leader walking closer and taking his mask off

"Lou! Omg Lou" Alex screamed.

“Thank you baby Jesus, thank you, god,” Dariush prayed.

Alex continued to repeat his name ‘Lou’ in relief and surprise.

"Hold on, hold on, you know this guy?” Gabriel and ZJ, who didn’t go into the station, asked as they walked up.

“No, no, no, no,” a man pointed the gun at the duo. Gabriel stepped back and ZJ stood her ground.

“Do we know him? Hell yeah, we know him." Dariush yells

“Yes, yes,” Alex agreed in a high pitched voice.

“We go way back. Lou, my negro! You know I was like this I wanted to free... Alex the one who was like, ‘leave him in there' and I was like ‘dude lets free him he’s a human’ so you mind telling these handsome men who are pointing shotguns at our face to, not… not do that?”

“Please?” Asked a small voice.

“Please,” Alex repeated louder than before.

“I don't think anyone needs to get hurt tonight,” Lou said after looking around at his companions.

“You let a criminal, no offense, out?” ZJ sighed rubbing her temples, “what was the rule your mom told you when you were kids? ‘Don't speak to strangers’ aka don’t trust them.” ZJ was annoyed.

“But Alex if you'd be so kind as to give me that?” Lou pointed at the key.

“There you have it coming backbiting you in the ass.”

“This? This is our only shot at defending the aliens." Alex said holding onto the key

“Yeah. That means someone will pay a lot of money for it. Give me the key,” Lou stretched out his hand. 

"I can't. I made a promise." The 13-year-old boy tucked it under his shirt.

“Alex, give him the key enough. Okay?” Dariush said worried about his life.

"You can give me the key and just walk away, or I can cut her and all your heads off and take the key from the stump.”

ZJ thought for a moment sighed, the people looked at her, “you freed him.” Alex nodded, “did he give you the ‘I have a kid’ bullshit and believed it?”

The guy's attention turned to ZJ as she said that. Both Lou and Alex admitted, “he did/I did."

"I trusted you,” Alex said turning to look at Low

"The cemeteries are full of people who trusted me.”

ZJ stepped forward and ran towards a random man slashing his arm grabbing his gun, and fired at one other man. A man screamed and roaring was heard.

The teens ran after a man was beheaded. But Gabriel stopped in front of the covered pool, an idea/plan came up. He was nervous and doubtful it would work but it would be better than dying when he did nothing.

Once the four reached the other side of the pool they shouted Gabriel’s name while he asked Zhenzhen for glow sticks. ZJ understood his plan and readied the shoot at it. Gabriel ran over the pool cover during the Alien on it. Once Gabriel was on land, ZJ shot at it in the chest(?) slowing it down. Once in the middle, the cover couldn’t bear the weight anymore so it broke. The Alien being drowned to death. At least temporarily. They shouted in glee before running off.

ZJ went back to the dead bodies collecting the remaining shotgun shells. 2, only 2 shotgun shells left, assholes. ZJ stared at the dead men with cold eyes before running back to catch up to the others, gripping on the stolen shotgun.


	5. New look

Walking up the hill of East Los Angeles 12 miles to JPL, Dariush admitted ZJ was right but “I thought we killed that thing.”

Alex explained things with logic, “if it came down with the capsule that means it survived the heat of the atmosphere re-entry. Which means it must have tremendous cellular regeneration abilities,” Alex said.

“English, Alex, please,” Zhenzhen asked, causing them to stop and look at the young boy.

ZJ answered before Alex did in simpler terms, “wolverine.”

“Oh,” Zhenzhen said, starting to walk again.

"Why the hell is it following us?" Asked Gabe

"It's pissed about its dog. Have you ever watched _Marley and Me_ or _Beethoven_? It's a primal bond. It's out for revenge. Ask John Wick." Dariush said

Alex quickly responded to the theory, ”you're putting human motives on an alien life-form. No, it probably just had orders to kill Collins and anyone she came in contact with. We're just loose ends to this thing."

"No, you know what, dog theory was better."

"Kinda makes more sense. If it feels pain, it feels."

“Who gives a frog's fat ass why? This ain't Comic-Con, bitches. All that matters is that it wants us dead. And we can't kill it." Zhenzhen rolled her eyes as they had stopped once again.

“We can, just have to burn it. We don’t have any access to things highly flammable, so the best move is to keep moving.”

"She's right. We should just keep moving." Alex had agreed.

Dariush didn’t agree with the idea. "I'm done with your ideas. You were the one who thought to let Hannibal Lecter out of his cell. Consider your leadership privileges … revoked!"

"Sometimes you do the right thing and it doesn't work out. That doesn't mean it wasn't worth doing." Alex mumbled.

"Who the hell told you that?”

“My dad. Never knew what it meant until right now.”

“Look, why is it up to us to save humanity?” Dariush complained.

Gabriel lost it, "what, do you think someone else should do it? Of course, you do. The kid who's always had everything done for him. Maybe Mommy and Daddy can pay the alien to go away, buy him a new Mercedes,” Gabriel was cut off when Dariush head-butted him.

"Hey! You don't know my family, dude." He tackled Gabriel.

ZJ pulled them apart with the help of Zhenzhen. “That’s enough guys,” she said.

“I’m sick of your constant bitching!” Zhenzhen yelled.

"You don't know me. My family has nothing!” Dariush yelled.

Gabriel stared at him in disbelief "oh, yeah? Except for a car dealership and a mansion and a yacht!"

Before he could continue Dariush cut him off "no, the dealership is gone. It's all gone. That's why they sent me to camp, man.”

“It’s… It’s just stuff.”

"I don't know who I am without all that stuff. And.. they're taking my dad. He's going to jail.”

Feeling guilty Gabriel was lost for words, “I’m… I’m sorry.”

Morse code could be heard from the radio Zhenzhen got from the captain. “Here we go.”

Dariush sheepishly apologized, ”I'm sorry I head-butted you. You should clean that up."

Gabriel had the same reaction, ”yeah, that's fine, Sorry for... punching you.”

"It's Dr. Fielding. He's trying to contact us. We gotta go." Zhenzhen spoke up, interrupting them.

"Maybe we should try to find some clothes? No clue what that thing can track, it might be our scent." Alex said.

Zhenzhen quickly got up saying harshly, "then let's go.” They all followed Zhenzhen.

Grabbing paper from her pocket, ZJ handed it to Gabriel who said “thanks.”

They were running in the parking lot towards the ‘Elysian Mall’. "I hope they got a McDonalds in there, I need me, like, two McDoubles and an ice-cream."

"Hurry, come on. Gotta get inside."

"Come on. I know Gucci's downstairs, let's go." 

Four teens walked down the unmoving escalator, looking around while ZJ stayed at the top. "Well, I'm going to go find some clothes, bye.” ZJ jogging into different stores getting expensive but useful clothes. _This doesn’t count as stealing._

ZJ came outside with a beach fishtail braid, wearing a leather jacket, grey t-shirt like a crop top, black cargo pants with a chain attached on the side, steel toes combat boots, and finger fewer gloves with hidden brass knuckles in them. 

Before she left every shop she went into, she took the things she would want and placed them in a blue camouflage duffle bag after removing the security tags. She wasn’t a goodie two shoes, this was a perfect time to steal. Jackets, shirts, hoodies, bras, iPhone X, AirPods, best JBL Headphones, MacBook pro, a silver spinning ring, and weapons -her favorite-.

Placing the bag outside hidden from cameras and people’s eyes she re-entered the mall to see the teens messing around. ZJ quietly sat on the escalator watching them have fun.

Once they finished their playtime they noticed her, “wow,” they all said in unison.

“Damn girl you look hot,” Dariush praised, earning a nod of acknowledgment from ZJ. “Are you a secret agent or an angel?” ZJ rolled her eyes

She held onto her -newly stolen- skateboard and shotgun while riding the bike. She didn’t have any other weapons except for the shotgun and her dagger she hid in her combat boots, the others were left in the duffle bag. It was a pity that there weren’t any more shotgun shells. The skateboard was her one new mode of transport for later.

The teens stopped when Alex stopped. “Aw, come. Don't tell me we got to teach you again?" Dariush complains.

"1974 Mustang Mach 1. My dad had one just like it" Alex said looking at a brown car.

"That thing doesn't have like computers or anything fired by the pulse right?" Asked Gabriel.

"Right"

Dropping their bikes, ZJ didn’t let go of her skate or shotgun, they ran towards the only still in good condition. "I'm driving," said Alex.

“Shotgun,” Zhenzhen called it.

ZJ sat between Gabriel and Dariush at the back while Alex was in the driver's seat and Zhenzhen was a passenger. Alex let out an “oh” sound. “I can’t drive a stick. Does anybody know?”

“Me,” the siblings said.

ZJ thought for a moment, _Zhenzhen hadn’t had much fun, has she_? “Have fun.”

Zhenzhen brightened and switched seats with Alex. She started the engine along with the music. While driving they had fun nodding along to the music’s tune.

They were startled when the Alien jumped on top of the car’s trunk. They screamed in fear. It bashed it’s head against the windshield, causing it to crack, then sent a punch breaking it. The Alien then moved to the roof, it’s hand punched through the roof. ZJ took out her dagger and dragged it down causing the Alien to retract in pain.

“Hand on!” Zhenzhen shouted as she drove the car into something. The back sighed in relief, but ZJ still had her shotgun ready. The Alien bashed the back windshield causing it to break. ZJ shot the shotgun only to not cause it much effect. She didn’t have time to reload as they were nearing a bridge.

“Jump!” Zhenzhen shouted to the back.

“What?!” Gabriel yelled, “are you crazy?”

“Jump, Jump!” Someone yelled it wasn’t clear.

ZJ jumped out from the right just the last second when it was about to go over the bridge.

“Way to go Zhenzhen!” Alex cheered.

“Is everyone ok?” Gabriel asked.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Guys. Guys! I don’t have the key.”

“What?”

“It’s probably in the car,” Alex guessed. “We need that key.” _No shit we don’t,_ ZJ commented.

“Ah!” Dariush yelled “damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.” He repeated walking.

“Where are you going?” Alex stopped him.

“To get the key.”

"No way we can't kill that thing, it's just gonna reanimate," Gabriel said.

"Yea but, we need that key to finish this off," said Dariush.

"You'll die if you go down there," said Zhenzhen.

"She's right we'll go down together," Alex says.

"So all five of us can die? I thought you were supposed to be the smart one,” Dariush remarks. Looking around he continued, “It’s my turn. Look, man… Did you know, I was named after the ancient King of Persia, Darius? Well, do you know who Darius's greatest rival ever was, the only one to ever defeat him?”

“Alexander the Great."

"Yeah. Yeah, I knew you'd know that. Well, look, this time... Darius gets to be the hero.” They hugged.

“Yeah and this time, he gets a friend to go with,” eyes turned to look at ZJ, “be honest, you know I can fight and defend myself and him.” ZJ handed her jacket, skateboard, and shotgun to her sister who placed them inside the bag. She then followed after Dariush. She placed an arm around his shoulders saying, “you won’t die tonight.”

They both jogged to the crash site. The Alien was wheezing weakly, so they tried to be extra quiet. Dariush entered the car while ZJ was on the lookout. When she heard music from the car she panicked. Continuing looking at the Alien to see if it woke up.

“Oh, I got it, I got it,” Dariush said. Dariush crawled out as ZJ walked next to him. He held the key and yelled “I got it! I got the key!”

The ones on the bridge cheered before panicking. Hearing movement behind her ZJ turned around, the Alien was moving, Dariush hadn’t noticed yet. As it went to a strike, ZJ pushed Dariush out of the way getting herself. Its claw had slashed from her chest to the left side above her breast and her arm. The top she wore was now ripped and coated with blood.

Dariush who stared in shock and panic gave time for the Alien to slash Dariush too in the abdomen, not as deep as ZJ’s but enough to make him exhaused. ZJ had fallen to the ground, so she crawled into the car and out the back windshield, avoiding the Aliens hand. Using her right arm which was still ok, she pushed up from the ground, joining Dariush and rushing him to move on. “We gotta go,” she said.

“You ok?” Dariush asked as they ran.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it, it's just a cut.” _A really deep cut_ she added. Dariush was feeling guilty, she noticed, “I said you wouldn’t be dying tonight.” She sent him a smile like a smirk.

"Are you okay? That cut looks terrible,” Gabriel asked.

"Let's go. I’ll treat it after we save the world,” ZJ groaned out. “Zhenzhen help your sister out.”

Zhenzhen understood and undressed ZJ’s top and handed her sister bandages. Even if they were infected they didn’t have time to clean, they needed to move fast. ZJ wrapped her wound while running. Hard but manageable. Zhenzhen sent worrying looks at her sister.


	6. JPL

At Pasadena 1.7 miles to JPL, the younger 13-year-olds and 15-year old were walking at the back while the older were at the front. 

ZJ heard what Zhenzhen said and thought it was sweet. When she heard that Alex didn’t understand, she cracked a smile, it was hilarious.

“Why did you push me? You could have saved yourself.”

“I said it before, you are not getting hurt under my watch. Be grateful if it was someone else I would have left for dead. I would kill myself if it means for you guys to stay alive, _so stay alive._ ” ZJ said sternly in a serious and demanding voice and look.

“Yo, look! Look, JPL.” Gabriel said pointing at a building in front of them.

ZJ was looking at the building in relief as she was exhausted but didn’t show. 

“What?”

“Whoa!”

“Come on!”

"Finally!"

“Let’s go!”

“Man this place got hit hard,” Gabriel commented.

“The building is destroyed,” said Dariush.

"He's still here. Dr. Fielding's still here!" Zhenzhen spoke as she heard the radio continue to beep Morse code.

“This way!" Alex ran one way.

"If we get out of this alive, NASA's paying for my therapy," Dariush grumbled before running.

“I’m getting paid,” said ZJ.

As they entered the building, Alex was fascinated, ”Oh, wow. They are testing plasma rockets. Those things burn hotter than the surface of the sun.”

“Look, all we gotta do is get this key to Dr. Fielding then you can look at all the nerd porn you want.”

They entered the control center shouting Dr. Fielding’s name. They spread looking for him, ZJ followed Zhenzhen. They soon came across a body, Dr. Fielding was on his name tag.

“Over here,” Zhenzhen announced.

The three boys ran towards Zhenzhen’s voice. They saw Dr. Fielding’s state. Hurriedly Gabriel checked his pulse confirming he was dead.

“But how?” Asked Alex as they heard morse code beeping. They turned to look at his hand rather than under it. The blood was dripping creating more codes.

“We failed,” Alex mumbled.

“It’s over.” The group walked away from the body, “I mean let us be honest guys, who do we think we are?" Dariush asked.

"Nerd." Alex.

"Criminal." Gabriel.

"Orphan." Zhenzhen.

"A joke." Dariush.

“Street rat.” ZJ

“I guess I’ll… go try and find my parents,” Dariush continued.

“Me too,” whispered Alex.

Zhenzhen and ZJ didn’t leave though, both cracked a glowing stick and placed them on the ground.

Zhenzhen looked up and smiled at Alex who smiled back joining the girls. The other guys soon joined. Dariush found a bottle of wine. “Look, they didn’t get to open this. Well, since we’re all gonna die together, may I propose a toast?” He held up the bottle before checking the contents, “oh, crap. This is from 1969! I mean, could at least get some fresh wine if this is gonna be my first time, right?” Dariush threw the bottle backward causing it to clatter and click a button.

“ _Citadel, this is Crystal Palace_.” Said a distorted voice.

“What? What was that?”

“Go! What the heck?”

“ _Citadel … this is Crystal Palace. Do you copy_?”

“Hello? Hello? Hello? We’re here, over!”

“ _Citadel, identify yourself. What is your name, ma’am? Over!_ ”

“I’m Alex.

“ _How old are you_?”

“I’m thirteen. And if you don’t mind me asking, who are we talking to?”

“ _This is General George Khoury at Cheyenne Mountain,_ ” the General informed. “ _Is anyone alive at JPL? Is the doctor fielding there_?” Dariush started to feel pain, Gabriel noticed and went to his side.

“There are four of us, everyone else is dead. The astronaut sent us before she died.”

“Y _ou were sent by Major Collins_?”

“Yeah, that’s why we came.” 

“She gave us the key and said something about Excalibur,” Alex held up the key.

“ _What, you have the crypto-key in your possession_?”

“THat’s right. What do we need to do to get it to work.”

The General sighs, “ _nothing. You need to get out of there. I’m… I’m sorry. It’s over. There’s nothing you kids can do against this thing. Now get out of there immediately, we’re sending two units to pick you-_ ”

Alex cut him off, “no.”

“ _What did you say, son?_ ”

“I said ‘no’. I made a promise I wouldn’t let anything stop me. So I’m gonna keep trying and it will be a lot easier if you would help me. We didn’t come all this way to give up now. We’re done being told what we can and can’t do. We made it across half of southern California. Past aliens and soldiers.”

“A diddler! Don’t forget about the diddler,” Dariush added.

“All the way here. Nobody helped us get here. All we had was each other. So you’re gonna listen to me because we’re not kids anymore, and we’re the best chance you’ve got.” ZJ interrupted Alex

“I’m gonna say this: we almost died multiple times, mostly me. I will _not_ let my efforts be in vain! I don’t care if you're an army General or god, but you better listen to me you motherfucker. Pull that stick out of your fucking giant ass because if I die now without helping out anyway how I could have. I will come back as a ghost and haunt your fucking ass! You will be responsible for our deaths, blood in your hands!” ZJ needs a drink, a serious strong drink. “Now tell us before we die.” She walked towards the wine bottle staggering.

“What do we need to do to get this thing working,” Alex continued.

He caved in, “ _All right, someone needs to go down to the basement and fire up the emergency generators. Start them in sequence, exactly four seconds apart. Send your fastest, strongest-_ ”

“I’ll go,” Zhenzhen volunteered.

“ _I’m sorry, that sounded like a young girl_.”

“Oh, year! Aliens don’t stand a chance against her or her sister,” Dariush praised.

“ _All right! You need to climb through the vent. The fault door won’t open until the power is back on_.”

“Got it.”

“Come back alive, remember ‘expect the worst’.” Her sister advised with a pale face.

“ _Look. You’re not safe at JPL. If this doesn’t work, I need to make sure…_ ”

“What are we doing? What is Excalibur?” Gabriel asked.

ZJ walked next to Dariush and told him to sit down on the chair behind him. “What about you?”

“I need a booze.”

“ _Excalibur was a Cold War defense project. It was meant to shoot down Russian missiles.”_

“Yeah, using fusion pumped X-ray lasers, I read about that.”

“never mind him. He knows everything. Keep going.” Dariush said exhaustedly.

“ _The key that Major Collins gave you contains the coordinates of the alien mothership in high orbit_.”

“We can destroy the mothership,” said Gabriel and ZJ.

“ _You’re our last hope._ ”

“Ok, what else do we need to do to get this shit started?”

“ _You need to realign the satellite dish on the roof, then get a working computer and load the coordinates Major Collins gave you. Then activate Excalibur.”_

“All right, I’ll go to the rood,” Gabriel offered.

“No Gabriel,” Alex denied it. “You guys load the programs. I’m gonna go to the roof. Plus you guys are hurt and he’s the only one keeping you alive.” That was directed at Dariush.

Alex places the keys on the table. “What are you talking about? You’re afraid of heights!”

“I’m scared of everything. It’s my turn.” He then turned to ZJ “tell Zhenzhen, I’m gonna want my watch back.” He walked before tuning around he said “And if I die… tell her I love her.” Walking a few more steps he turned around regretting what he said, “actually wait… don’t tell her I love her, just tell her I was into her. I don’t want to freak her out with the ‘L’ word.”

“Just go!” The three people not leaving the room yelled causing Alex to turn around and run away.

The three waited for Zhenzhen to turn on the power. ZJ was drinking the wine, it helped ignore the pain, pour some over it would make it sting, helping her stay awake. The power came back on.

“Shit, she got the power back on,” Gabriel said in glee.

“ _Good. Do you see the monitors at the back of the room? Are the control stations working_?”

“Yeah, yeah”

“Yeah, the computer is working.”

“It’s on.”

“ _Excellent. Now insert the crypto-key._ ”

“I got it, I got it!”

“ _Ok, did your friend move the dish yet_?”

“No, I see him but he hasn’t moved it yet.”

 _“Then you have to wait before you launch Excalibur._ ”

“Shit!” Said Dariush.

“Alex!”

“Alex!”

“Alex!”

“ _Activate the PA system_.”

“Alex!”

“Alex!”

“Behind you look down!”

“ _Son, Excalibur needs two people to launch it_.”

“Sorry man, Imma just rest for a while.” With that ZJ and Dariush passed out.

“Shit they passed out.”

“ _One of your other friends has to help you, where are they?_ ”

• Little time skip •

“ _Nine-six-three-two-two-one-zero-three_ ,” ZJ heard as she woke up.

“Gabriel, I wrote it down for you,” said Dariush, passing him a piece of paper with a number written in blood on it.

“I got it, I got it!”

“It is imperative that they are inserted at the same time.”

“Shit he passed out again,” he spotted ZJ leaning on the control station. “ZJ can you?”

“Shit sorry man, my reaction time is slow, I won’t be able to.” 

“We are running out of time, son! We are running out of time, son.”

“My sister is coming soon and fast. Gabriel gave me the key.”

Gabriel handed their key to ZJ and she was standing in front of the slot. “Gabriel! ZJ!” Shouted a familiar voice.

“Zhenzhen!” They both called out. ZJ handed her the key.

ZJ went to get her shotgun from Zhenzhen’s bag, then went behind the control station hiding. The Alien crashed in. She shot at the Alien and hid immediately after, changing spots.

Standing up again she threw her dagger at the Alien’s head close to the eyes, hitting 'bullseye' at the same time a Rubik’s cube did. Rubix’s cube, Alex. He isn’t stupid, he had a plan.

“Come at me bitch. Come get me, mother… Come on!”

“what are you doing?! You can’t kill that thing with a flare gun!” 

“No, but I know what can! Launch Excalibur, then meet me outside. Ah!’ Alex ran.

“Oh, shit, we gotta go! Come on!”

“Come on. Go!”

ZJ held onto Dariush, supporting his weight as she was heading for the exit. Gabriel and Zhenzhen stayed inside to launch the Excalibur. “1, 2, 3, go!” They turned the keys.

They cheered including ZJ. “ _Now get out of there immediately. We’re sending two units to pick you up. The building is not safe_.”

ZJ grabbed Zhenzhen’s bag with everything inside and ran out of the building. The group of four were out of the building when it collapsed, but were sent flying forward but the wind. Zhenzhen quickly got up preparing to re-enter the building but was stopped by Gabriel, “no, hey. It’s too dangerous.”

“But I have to get him.” She argued.

ZJ knelt in front of Zhenzhen cupping her face with difficulty as she was trying to suppress her pain, “he’s alive don’t worry. 他没死，他不会丢下你的 (he didn't die, he wouldn’t leave you.)”

Yes, Zhenzhen calmed down but was crying looking at his dad’s watch. They stood in a line, all together, waiting for Alex to come out.

“Alex,” Zhenzhen asked.

All of them shouted his name as they ran towards him, hugging and laughing.

“Guys we did it.”

“Hell yeah, we did it.”

Zhenzhen and Alex stood in the middle of the older teens, having their moment.

Once the kiss was done, they hugged each other and cheered. “Oh yeah, I’m coming back next year, for sure.”

“We save the world!” Alex yelled.


End file.
